Constance Cummings

Constance Cummings CBE (May 15, 1910 – November 23, 2005) was an American-British actress with a career spanning over 50 years. She starred in films such as Movie Crazy and American Madness (1932).

Early life Cummings was born on May 15, 1910, in Seattle, Washington, the only daughter and younger child of Kate Logan (née Cummings), a concert soprano, and Dallas Vernon Halverstadt, a lawyer.

Cummings' parents separated when she was 10 years old, and she never saw her father again. She attended St. Nicholas Girls' School in Seattle. a member of the ensemble in Treasure Girl (1928) by the age of 18. While appearing on Broadway, she was discovered by Samuel Goldwyn, who brought her to Hollywood in 1931. Between 1931 and 1934, Cummings appeared in more than 20 films, including Movie Crazy opposite Harold Lloyd and American Madness directed by Frank Capra.

Cummings was married to playwright and screenwriter Benn Levy from July 3, 1933, until his death in 1973.

Recognition In 1979, Cummings won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Emily Stilson in the drama Wings (1978–1979) (written by Arthur Kopit), a play about a former aviator (Stilson) who has suffered a stroke, from which she struggles to recover. In 1982, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play for her work in The Chalk Garden.

She received an Evening Standard Best Actress Award for her performance in Long Day's Journey into Night.

On January 1, 1974, Cummings, who resided in Britain for many decades until her death, was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her contributions to the British entertainment industry.

She was a committee member of the Royal Court Theatre and the Arts Council. She has a star in the Motion Pictures section on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard. It was dedicated on February 8, 1960.

Death Constance Cummings Levy died in Wardington, Oxfordshire, England, on November 23, 2005, aged 95, from natural causes.

Acting credits Filmography

The Criminal Code (1931) as Mary Brady The Last Parade (1931) as Molly Pearson Lover Come Back (1931) as Connie Lee Traveling Husbands (1931) as Ellen Wilson The Guilty Generation (1931) as Maria Palmero Behind the Mask (1932) as Julie Arnold The Big Timer (1932) as Honey Baldwin Attorney for the Defense (1932) as Ruth Barry American Madness (1932) as Helen Movie Crazy (1932) as Mary Sears The Last Man (1932) as Marian Washington Merry-Go-Round (1932) as Alice Night After Night (1932) as Miss Jerry Healy The Billion Dollar Scandal (1933) as Doris Masterson The Mind Reader (1933) as Sylvia Heads We Go (1933) as Betty Smith / Dorothy Kay Channel Crossing (1933) as Marion Slade Broadway Through a Keyhole (1933) as Joan Whelan Looking for Trouble (1934) as Ethel Greenwood Glamour (1934) as Linda Fayne This Man Is Mine (1934) as Francesca Harper Remember Last Night? (1935) as Carlotta Milburn Seven Sinners (1936) as Caryl Fenton Strangers on Honeymoon (1936) as October Cyrano de Bergerac (1938, TV movie) as Roxane Busman's Honeymoon (1940) as Harriet Vane This England (1941) as Ann The Foreman Went to France (1942) as Anne Stafford, the American girl Blithe Spirit (1945) as Ruth Condomine Into the Blue (1950) as Mrs. Kate Fergusson Trial and Error (1953, TV movie) as Andrea John and Julie (1955) as Mrs. Davidson The Intimate Stranger (1956) as Kay Wallace The Trial of Mary Dugan (1957, TV movie) as Mary Dugan, known as Mona Tree Craig's Wife (1957, TV movie) as Harriet Craig The Battle of the Sexes (1960) as Angela Barrows Sammy Going South (1963) as Gloria van Imhoff In the Cool of the Day (1963) as Mrs. Nina Gellert Love Song (1985, TV movie) as Dame Philippa Hatchard Dead Man's Folly (1986, TV movie) as Amy Folliat The Understanding (1986, TV movie) as Acton (final film role)

Theatre

YearPlayCharacterTypeComments 1926 Seventh Heaven prostitute Stage debut in Seattle, Washington 1928 Treasure Girl chorus ensemble Musical comedy Broadway debut 1930 June Moon Miss Rixey Tin Pan Alley comedy 1930 This Man's Town Carrie Drama 1934 Sour Grapes first appearance on London stage 1934 Accent on Youth Linda Brown Comedy 1936 Young Madame Conti Nella Conti Melodrama 1937 Madame Bovary Revival Emma Bovary Restoration Comedy 1938 If I Were You Nellie Blunt Farce 1938 Goodbye, Mr Chips Katherine Drama 1939 The Jealous God 1939–1940 Romeo and Juliet Juliet Tragedy 1939–1940 Old Vic Theatre Season 1939 Joan of Arc Joan Drama 1939 The Good Natur'd Man Miss Richland Drama April 22, 1940 Shakespeare Birthday Festival 1942 Skylark Lydia Drama 1943 The Petrified Forest Gabby Drama 1945 One Man Show Racine Gardner Drama 1946 Clutterbuck Comedy 1948 Don't Listen Ladies Farce 1948 Happy with Either Annaluise Klopps Comedy 1949 Before the Party Laura Comedy 1950 Return to Tyassi 1952 Winter's Journey 1953 The Shrike Drama 1957 Lysistrata Greek Comedy 1957 The Rape of the Belt Antiope played at Piccadilly Theatre (1957), and then Martin Beck Theatre, NY (1960). 1961 J.B. Sarah 1962 Social Success 1964 Huis Clos Inez Drama 1965 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Martha 1966 Public and Confidential 1967 Fallen Angels Jane Banbury Comedy 1969 Hamlet Gertrude Shakespearean Tragedy 1969 The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore Mrs Flora Goforth Tragedy 1970 The Visit Claire Zachanassian Tragi-comedy 1971 Amphitryon 38 Leda Greek Drama 1971 Long Day's Journey into Night Mary TyroneRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, UK with Laurence Olivier as James Tyrone 1971–1972 National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season Classical drama 1972–1973 National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season 1973 The Cherry Orchard Madame Ranevsky 1974 National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season 1974 Children 1979 Wings Emily Stilson Tony Award, Obie Award, Drama Desk Award 1979 National Theatre, London, Repertoire Season 1980 Hay Fever Comedy 1981 The Golden Age 1985 The Glass Menagerie 1986 Fanny Kemble at Home 1992 The Chalk Garden Mrs St Maugham Her last appearance on Broadway 1996–1999 Uncle Vanya Maman Her last stage appearance